The invention relates to a profile frame for holding plane elements such as glass panes, plastic, wooden or metal plates, or similar plate-like elements.
Profile frames must absorb relatively high forces, particularly if the plane elements to be accommodated therein are not held at all edges, but rather solely on one side or on two opposing sides. In the profile frames used in practice, the plane elements are secured in part by bolts, which, however, require the presence in the plane elements of boreholes provided at predetermined locations. Alternatively or in addition thereto, the plane elements may be bonded into the profile frame, which however is detrimental to the extent that the profile frames cannot be processed further for a relatively long time after the plane elements are bonded into them, inasmuch as the bonding agents suitable for these applications cure very slowly. In addition, the two ways of fixation described above for securing plane elements in profile frames have the disadvantage that, in the case of plane elements of various thicknesses, one must provide different profile frames appropriately adjusted to them.
In DE 297 18 854 U1, there is therefore already a description of a profile frame, in which the legs of the profile frame that hold the plate element are constructed in two separate parts, which are telescoped or slide one into the other until they reach the thickness of the plane element, thus fixing the latter between them. These profile frames are suitable for accommodating plane elements of different thicknesses. However, they present the disadvantage that in each case two profile bars must be stored, shortened to the necessary length and, fitting accurately, inserted one into the other.
It is an object of the invention to provide a profile frame, which can be produced and stored economically and also makes it possible to provide in a simple manner a stable and secure mount for plane elements.
By designing the compressing leg with a nominal deformation region, whose deformation will cause a clamping region to press the plane element against the stopping leg and thus clamp it between the two legs, the accommodation in the profile frame of plane elements of different thicknesses is made possible, without having to construct the two legs, which extend at the side of the plane element, as separate parts of the profile frame. Depending on the thickness of the plane element, there occurs, in order to clamp the latter into the profile frame, a greater or lesser deformation of the nominal deforming region. This deformation can take place along the entire length of the profile frame, or only pointwise, and can be accomplished with the use of any desired tool. In so doing, the fastening of the plane element can be carried out solely by the clamping, or else the plane element can in addition be bonded. In the latter case the clamping between compressing leg and stopping leg alone suffices to fix the plane element in the profile frame and thus permits further transport and processing, as long as the bonding agent has not yet cured and cannot yet ensure a connection by adhesion between plane elements and the frame profile.
Preferably, the nominal deforming region is formed by a region, in which the compressing leg has a diminished material thickness, so that the deformation occurs in this region. Alternatively it would also be possible, for instance, to design the nominal deforming region without thinning it out, by using another material, more easily deformed than the rest of the profile frame; however, as a rule this causes higher fabrication costs. In order to achieve a controlled deformation at a defined spot of the compressing leg, the nominal deformation region has at least one designated buckling point, which may be constructed, for example, by introducing a notch.